Remembering Whitney White

August 11, 2016

Whitney White was a shining star in class 38 of The Culinary School at the Food Bank of Delaware. Upon graduation in January 2015, she had completed her two-week internship with Home Grown Café in Newark and demonstrated the needed talents and work ethic to have a promising career in Delaware’s food industry. Whitney was described by her peers as upbeat, encouraging and a hard worker.

Unfortunately, this young life was cut way to short on July 20, 2016. All of us at the Food Bank of Delaware were deeply saddened to hear about Whitney’s untimely passing.

“Whitney was someone we were very proud to have as an alumnus,” said Anna McDermott, our Education Programs Director.  “She was a very hard worker and was focused on learning as much as she could while she was here. She was a great person. Sometimes kitchens can be high pressure environments and when tempers flared between her fellow students, Whitney could be counted on to help resolve disagreements.  She encouraged her classmates and helped them succeed as well.”

Former Culinary School Chef Instructor Sean McNeice echoed those thoughts.

“Whitney was always happy to be doing the work at school both in the kitchen as well as the classroom,” he pointed out. “She was a very good student and kept the peace in the class when there were conflicts between other students. She was always smiling and genuinely happy to be in class. She would ask how you were doing and really care about the answer. She was a very genuine person who always had a smile on her face.”

Whitney’s passion for the culinary field was felt beyond the four walls of the kitchen here at the Food Bank of Delaware.

Her mother, Deatrice Ahmed, says The Culinary School positively impacted her daughter’s life, “In her short 25 years of life, she was trying to find her place and where she was most comfortable. When she came to The Culinary School she said ‘this is it, this is my career.’”

Whitney’s mother said that her daughter had always had a passion for cooking. As a young girl she wrote her own cookbook, and The Culinary School solidified that passion as an adult.

Looking back on her daughter’s short life, Ahmed described Whitney as a “kind, motivated person who always thought the best of people.”

“Whitney was a loving daughter, a very positive person and always uplifted others.”

This wonderful young woman will be missed by all of us at the Food Bank of Delaware. To honor Whitney’s life, we have created the Whitney White Most Dedicated Award for future graduates. Those who earn this future award will embody all that Whitney was – dedicated, passionate and a shining star willing to help others in our culinary kitchen.